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MM Lee scared of neighbours, says Utusan
KUALA LUMPUR: Utusan Malaysia yesterday had as its page 1 headline 'Kuan Yew scared of neighbours'.
The report, quoting three academics, reflected the Malay newspaper's continued playing up of the remarks made by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew in a new book.
Utusan quoted the view of an academic, Professor Mohamed Mustafa Ishak, who claimed Mr Lee had no basis for his remarks that Malaysia and Indonesia were trying to undermine Singapore.
Prof Mohamed Mustafa said the remarks reflected Mr Lee's personal 'fears' about the economic rise of its two neighbours, and the Republic's 'siege mentality'.
Other Malaysian community leaders quoted by Utusan also hit out at Mr Lee for his remarks that the progress of integration in Singapore has been affected because Muslims in the Republic tend to be 'distinct and separate'.
'Kuan Yew is good at playing the issue of foreign threat although that country (Singapore) actually is the threat to neighbours because it is often not sensitive with many issues involving the neighbours,' Prof Mohamed Mustafa was quoted as saying. He is the head of the political security and international affairs cluster of the National Council of Professors.
In the new book, Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths To Keep Singapore Going, Mr Lee had among other things said that on Singapore's National Day, Aug 9, 1991, the Malaysian and the Indonesian armed forces held joint exercises at Kota Tinggi, Johor, with parachute drops.
'I did not believe they wanted to invade us, but they wanted to intimidate and con us, so that we know our place at the bottom of the pecking order in the region,' Mr Lee said.
'We need a sturdy, strong and capable SAF (Singapore Armed Forces), not only to defend Singapore but return blow for blow when necessary.
'If we do not have this strong SAF, we are vulnerable to all kinds of pressures from both Malaysia and Indonesia.'
Another academic was quoted by Utusan as saying that it was not the first time that Mr Lee had said that he was worried about the rise of Malays in South-east Asia.
'The rise of Malaysia in trade and investment is a worry for Kuan Yew and that is the main reason he put up Malaysia as a threat to Singapore,' said Universiti Utara Malaysia law lecturer Mohamad Faisol Keling.
The spiritual leader of Parti Islam SeMalaysia, Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, said Malays who rejected Islam and adopted nationalism were 'worse than Kuan Yew', an obvious reference to Umno leaders.
KUALA LUMPUR: Utusan Malaysia yesterday had as its page 1 headline 'Kuan Yew scared of neighbours'.
The report, quoting three academics, reflected the Malay newspaper's continued playing up of the remarks made by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew in a new book.
Utusan quoted the view of an academic, Professor Mohamed Mustafa Ishak, who claimed Mr Lee had no basis for his remarks that Malaysia and Indonesia were trying to undermine Singapore.
Prof Mohamed Mustafa said the remarks reflected Mr Lee's personal 'fears' about the economic rise of its two neighbours, and the Republic's 'siege mentality'.
Other Malaysian community leaders quoted by Utusan also hit out at Mr Lee for his remarks that the progress of integration in Singapore has been affected because Muslims in the Republic tend to be 'distinct and separate'.
'Kuan Yew is good at playing the issue of foreign threat although that country (Singapore) actually is the threat to neighbours because it is often not sensitive with many issues involving the neighbours,' Prof Mohamed Mustafa was quoted as saying. He is the head of the political security and international affairs cluster of the National Council of Professors.
In the new book, Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths To Keep Singapore Going, Mr Lee had among other things said that on Singapore's National Day, Aug 9, 1991, the Malaysian and the Indonesian armed forces held joint exercises at Kota Tinggi, Johor, with parachute drops.
'I did not believe they wanted to invade us, but they wanted to intimidate and con us, so that we know our place at the bottom of the pecking order in the region,' Mr Lee said.
'We need a sturdy, strong and capable SAF (Singapore Armed Forces), not only to defend Singapore but return blow for blow when necessary.
'If we do not have this strong SAF, we are vulnerable to all kinds of pressures from both Malaysia and Indonesia.'
Another academic was quoted by Utusan as saying that it was not the first time that Mr Lee had said that he was worried about the rise of Malays in South-east Asia.
'The rise of Malaysia in trade and investment is a worry for Kuan Yew and that is the main reason he put up Malaysia as a threat to Singapore,' said Universiti Utara Malaysia law lecturer Mohamad Faisol Keling.
The spiritual leader of Parti Islam SeMalaysia, Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, said Malays who rejected Islam and adopted nationalism were 'worse than Kuan Yew', an obvious reference to Umno leaders.
